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Are you going to Retro Con 2018 on October 13 – 14, 2018 in Oaks, PA? Well, here are two more reasons you should consider going: Sgt. Slaughter & BJ Ward!

What is Retro Con?

Simply put: Retro Con is a celebration of all things 80’s and 90’s! It’s a celebration of nostalgia of the greatest era of popular culture. From television and films to cartoons and video games, Retro Con is THE family-friendly con for anyone who grew up in the last 30 years!

This year, however, Retro Con holds a special significance to G.I. Joe fans! Two legendary performers from the classic G.I. Joe cartoon series produced by Marvel Productions and Sunbow will be on hand! (Yes, one of them was also present in the DiC era but, let’s be honest, we don’t really like to talk about that series.) Hold on to your hats as both Sgt. Slaughter and veteran voice actress BJ Ward (Scarlett, Princess Alura, Wonder Woman) are coming to this amazing two day event!

While Melendy Britt (She-Ra) is no longer able to attend the organizers of the event have stepped in a big way with Ms. Ward as the latest added guest!

Even better– these two legends of G.I. Joe animation history will be joining Greg Berger (Spirit, Grimlock, Odie) and Garry Chalk (Optimus Primal, Man-at-Arms, Metal-Head) in greeting guests, signing autographs, and being onsite for an amazing weekend. Plus, if you’re looking to get a further Sunbow fix, Samantha Newark (Jem, Ariel) will be on site as well. Plus, Larry Kenney (Lion-O) is also going to be there! It’s a chance to meet the voices and personas that dominated your cartoon viewing time as a kid! (And, if you’re like me, as an adult today!)

If that’s not enough, there’s even a special concert by the famed Cybertronic Spree on Saturday night!

GIJoeCon 2018 has come and gone and I’m still playing catch-up posting the convention coverage. The JBL staff (IE Fred) drove to the con this year and apparently making the solo 8.5 hour drive back in 9.5 hours wasn’t the best idea in the world. Maybe it’s true what Indiana Jones said:

It’s not the years… it’s the mileage…

Regardless, I managed to post a few LIVE videos over on JBL’s Facebook page with a quick look at the various souvenir items. I’ve archived them below for easy viewing. In reverse order, these videos cover the following:

GIJoeCon 2018 is almost officially here but last night was the Golden Ticket package pickup! This means that Golden Ticket Holders were able to not only acquire their convention sets one night early (more on this later) but they were also able to pick up their 2018 G.I. Joe Collector’s Convention comic books– which included the following souvenir list:

GIJoeCon 2018 is now 91 days away and this year’s exclusive sets are still available!

Okay, that headline is slightly misleading. The 1:18 Python Peril: Marauders to the Rescue 15 figure convention sets had previously sold out during the preview period. That’s right– before fans even had the reveals for all nine figure builds, the sets (both attending and non-attending) were gone! Apparently, announcing that this was the final year for a Fun Publications run event was good for sales!

The folks at the GIJCC, however, were able to secure an additional run from the factory and more Python Patrol vs. Slaughter’s Marauders sets were produced– both for Homefront Heroes and convention attendees.

The GIJoeCon 2018 previews are nearly complete with a look at the Python Patrol Major Bludd

PYTHON PATROL INFANTRY COMMANDER:
MAJOR BLUDD

– 25th Anniversary Style/Fully Poseable Action Figure.
– Modern Era Update of Character based on 2003 design.
– Features NEW Head Sculpt with removable helmet.
– Includes removable grenade harness with pistol,
handgun with rocket, backpack with rockets x 3,
sonic bazooka, and Cobra Logo Stand.

Hmm… I find myself conflicted on this one.

On one hand, the overall deco looks fantastic! It’s an excellent recreation of the 2003 six-pack Major Bludd! (Those colors are just ridiculously engaging.) I like the Cobra Shock Trooper legs and the Retaliation Cobra Trooper harness and torso look great together! Heck, I even like the backpack choice. I’d say that 85% of this figure is pure win. Continue reading →

“Multi-Shot Grenadier”… that makes me laugh. It should be “guy with a grenade launcher so big he’s going to blow up the world!!!”

Man, I love the character of Hardball! Ever since I first encountered his vintage 1988 version I had an affinity for the character. He was never the most popular Joe nor did he get any screen time in animation. Still, a guy who carries a launcher that large is a force to be reckoned with and the Club did just fine with this build! Continue reading →

Say what you want about the G.I. Joe Collector’s Club but they certainly stick close to the vintage designs. In this case, the recipe for the convention exclusive figure is simple: take the 25th Anniversary Mutt build and apply the 1989 Slaughter’s Marauders version color scheme. Some might criticize this as not being different enough from the 25th release in terms of parts but it is in keeping with the spirit of this set so far. After all, Footloose was a repaint of his previous Club release in the team deco. Continue reading →

It’s no secret that, when faced with between the decision to either adhere to vintage aesthetics or modernize a character design, the Club always chooses vintage. Such is the case with Slaughter’s Marauders Footloose who is sporting a near-identical color scheme to the 1989 vintage figure. The parts build should come as a surprise to no one as it is the same as was used for the 2012 Club membership incentive Footloose but the color scheme was a bit of a wild card. Continue reading →